1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid image-pickup device and a method for manufacturing the solid image-pickup device. In particular, this invention relates to a technique for manufacturing an improved solid image-pickup device which is compact in size and low in production cost.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side view showing a conventional solid image-pickup device.
As shown in FIG. 6, the conventional solid image-pickup device 102 includes a package 104 having an internal recess portion 106. A solid image-pickup element 108 formed by disposing light sensors and the like on a semiconductor substrate is received into the internal recess portion 106, with its light receiving surface facing upward. Along the edge portions of the surface of the solid image-pickup element, there are arranged a plurality of bonding pads 112. These bonding pads 112 are connected through bonding wires 116 with terminal electrodes 114 of the package 104. Each of the terminal electrodes 114 is connected with one end of one of external terminals 118 inserted through the package 104, while the other end of such one external terminal 118 is allowed to produce to the outside of the package 104 from the backside thereof.
Above the solid image-pickup element 108 there is disposed a transparent plate 120 which is provided to protect the solid image-pickup element 108 in order to ensure its reliability. Specifically, the transparent plate 120 is adhesively fixed on the package 104 above the recess portion 106, so as to ensure an airtight state within the recess portion 106 of the package 104.
However, with regard to the above-described conventional solid image-pickup device, since the solid image-pickup element 108 (semiconductor substrate) has to be received into each package 104, an entire size of the solid image-pickup device has to be larger than the solid image-pickup element 108. Moreover, since the external terminals 118 are protruding from the backside of the package 104, it is impossible to avoid an increase in the thickness of the package 104 containing the external terminals 118.
Moreover, with regard to the above-described conventional arrangement, since the solid image-pickup element 108 has to be received into the package 104 in order to complete a packaging process, it is necessary to perform an operation in which the bonding pads 112 of the solid image-pickup elements 108 have to be connected with the terminal electrodes 114 of the package 104 by way of the bonding wires 116. As a result, it is difficult to ensure a high production efficiency as well as a low production cost.
On the other hand, it is extremely important for a digital still camera, a video camera or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) apparatus to be made compact in size and low in cost. For this reason, the solid image-pickup device 102 which serves as a main component to be incorporated into each of these apparatus, is usually strongly required to be made compact in size and low in production cost.